Most of the time, due to league rules, the Celtics look at draft prospects in groups of six. Teams are allowed to work out just a half-dozen players at a time, and at most 12 players in a day, because NBA regulations ignore the fact that basketball games are actually played 5-on-5. Disallowing real basketball action can prove tough for evaluation, as the rule forces prospects into 3-on-3 situations that can only begin to simulate in-game play.

"It's hard. Spacing's different, obviously," Celtics director of player personnel Austin Ainge said last week. "Everything's different. But we can put them in some situations where they have to learn something new, and have to make a read, and that's really the best we can do."

The Celtics won't even be able to do that much with Randle, who will apparently go through only an individual workout. The youngster out of Kentucky, a likely candidate at No. 6, could still demonstrate parts of his game that he didn't show in college. He stressed at the combine that he's a better outside shooter than he showed during his lone college season, and he's reportedly (according to his mother) lost 20 pounds since the national championship game in an effort to get more fit.

If he can connect on shots from the perimeter, display improved mobility, and show a better right (off) hand, he could still increase his stock in the eyes of the Boston brass.

It's probably by design of Randle's agent that the 6-foot-9 lefty will work out by himself. According to ESPN's Chad Ford, Randle has been the most silent of all expected lottery picks during the pre-draft process.

"I haven't had one team – and I've been talking to teams in the lottery – say he's come in," Ford told the Louisville Courier-Journal on Wednesday afternoon. "I talk to a lot of teams every day and I haven't had one mention a workout that he's been to.

"So there's a mystery there. I'm not sure what's exactly behind it. I don't really know what's going on. The last time I've seen or heard from him was at the combine. I know he didn't do any public workouts. He didn't do some of the things that a lot of other agents have done, and that may just simply be a case where he's got a smaller agent. All those others are pretty big agencies that pool together a lot of their clients and have a lot of resources to invite NBA teams out for basically what they call pro days. (Ford followed up with [the Courier-Journal Wednesday], after talking to several teams, and Randle does finally have some workouts scheduled starting next week.)"

So that's interesting.

Celtics one of three most likely candidates to trade top-10 pick?

ESPN's Chad Ford believes "at least" two top-10 picks will get traded, and listed the Celtics -- along with the Lakers and Kings -- as the three most likely candidates to make such a deal.

To which I reply: Of course. Of course Danny Ainge will explore every possibility with his team's lottery pick. He said as much on draft night, and he's always held a reputation for leaving no stone unturned. He could move up, he could move down (for somebody like Doug McDermott or Gary Harris, who would be reaches at six), he could move out of the draft altogether (pray for Kevin Love), or he could sit pat and make Boston's two scheduled picks. The Celtics tend to be active and unafraid. This summer should be no different.

Vonleh's interesting chat

Noah Vonleh headlined a six-man workout Wednesday, prompting Austin Ainge to say he expected the Indiana product would be a lottery pick back when he was in high school.

Because Vonleh grew up near Boston (Haverhill) and attended a New England prep school (New Hampton), the Ainge family has known about him for at least a few years. It's obvious they've always been impressed by his potential, which could make him a top-five pick in this year's draft. If Vonleh lasts to No. 6 and Boston keeps its first selection, he would presumably be one of several candidates considered for the pick.

Which makes the following nugget fun, albeit not necessarily meaningful...

Interesting talk between Noah Vonleh (Indiana/Haverhill) and Walter McCarty today - "About where I'd be living if the Celtics drafted me."

"In the gym, Noah. If the Celtics draft you, you should live in the gym."

But seriously, there are a lot of nice places to live around Boston (cc Kevin Love).

Coming to Boston soon is...

Nik Stauskas, who tweeted that he has already left Charlotte en route to his workout for the Celtics. The guard has reportedly decided to work out only for four teams, the Celtics, Hornets, Lakers and Suns, all of whom have lottery picks. Only one of those clubs, the Suns (No. 14) have a pick outside of the top 10, prompting a question to Ford about whether the sharpshooter's stock really is that high.

"Partly," Ford responded in his chat for ESPN.com. "But also because he sprained his shoulder and had to postpone workouts last week that he's not rescheduling. Most agents prefer that their players just do a couple of workouts a week if they can get away with it. Allows them to be fresh and at their vey best. If his agent isn't confident that those four teams will take him, he can always schedule another workout or two the week of the draft."

Other intriguing prospects expected to work out for the Celtics over the next couple of days include Doug McDermott, Aaron Gordon, Nik Stauskas, Gary Harris and Walter Tavares. The evaluation process continues, as it always does.